Kira wore her necklace proudly, unaware of the tracker placed within it. Pepper noticed the new accessory around the girl's neck when she got into the car, but didn't say a word. She simply smiled inwardly, pushing away the thoughts of how sweet he was. She knew they only brought up feelings she wasn't ready to deal with it. The time would be right one day, but she nor anyone else was really sure when that day would be.
The ride to the coffee shop was quiet, which was unsual for the two in the car. Usually they had tons to talk about and could chat for hours but for now neither one of them knew exactly what to say or how to start it off. They exited the car and made their way up to the shop, each ordering their favorite beverage and agreeing it was too lovely of a day to sit inside to drink. It was a bit chilly out, with a chance of snow. But it was the calm and welcoming chill and the coffee they both had just made it all the more welcoming.
They took a seat at one of the small tables outside, each took a sip from their drink and shuffled quietly in their seat before Pepper finally decided to break the silence. "So, you must be excited for this whole birthday thing?" She asked before her lips remet the disposable coffee cup in her hand.
"I guess" Kira replied shugging a little, a small smile playing at her lips. "Think Tony is planing something?" She asked, already knowing the answer. "I mean... He seems like he might be..." Kira had already heard a bit of what was going on, but she didn't want to let on she knew too much.
Pepper sighed, a smile crossing her lovely features as well. "I don't know, he doesn't talk to me much about anything anymore unless it relates to work." She was only trying to deture the conversation from the birthday but instead she knew she'd opened up something she hadn't meant to.
Kira looked down at her cup, toying with the lid a little before she finally gained up the courage to say what she was thinking, and of course it was what Pepper had feared. "I notied that... You can't enjoy it. He doesn't seem to anyway. I think he really misses you around."
They had already had the talk explaining to Kira she wasn't the reason Pepper had left. It was the truth anyway, one of the few things that had been the truth around there. But Pepper still couldn't bring herself to tell the real reason, anyway the real reason could possibly give away all the things being kept from Kira in the first place so she stuck with the more simple side of the story. "Kira, it's just the stress of it all you know? I mean... I get more work done away from him anyway." She smiled hoping to leave it at that, but Kira wouldn't.
"It's not all about work, you know that." She shot back quickly, as if she had had this conversation many times before, and in a way she had. Different words, different settings, same outcome.
"Kira let's just..." Pepper stopped short of trying to turn off the conversation when her eyes spotted something that made her heart skip a beat. A man across the street, in a long, thick coat too big for this kind of weather was watching them a small piece was set in his ear and he seemed to be using it. Pepper reached across the table and gently took Kira's hand. "Let's get out of here... Um, go back to the house."
Kira smiled brightly, not picking up on Pepper's nerves, just the fact that the woman wanted to go back to the house and in her hopeful mind it was to talk to Tony. She stood all to willing, following Pepper out the small gate that surrounded the outside of the coffee house. However, their small steps turned frantic, when Pepper saw the man quickly cross the street towards them, almost in a sprint. Pepper grabbed Kira's hand tightly, dragging her in a run of their own.
Kira turned back to look at what Pepper could be running from but not seeing it in the crowd of people. "Pepper what's going on?!" Kira called, keeping the pace. Pepper didn't reply but instead the two rushing into the car parked around back before Pepper peeled out of the parking space and onto the street, breaking at least three traffic laws in the process.
Kira turned in her seat seeing a black van following behind, breaking just as many if not more laws then them. She looked towards Pepper fear evident in both of their eyes. She took a path away from traffic and people, trying her best to cause as little harm to anyone else as she could. They were on a backroad heading towards the house. Kira reached into Pepper's purse pulling out her cell phone as she hadn't brought her own before stuggling with the keys to find Tony's name through the twists and turns the car was making. "What's going on?" She asked once more panic in her voice.
"I don't know... We just.." Before Pepper could finish her sentence the car was T-Boned off the road. The fresh rain mixed snow that had started to fall didn't help in the matter, instead it assisted in the spin the car took before coming to a stop in a ditch.
Pepper tried to start the car as Kira watched on in panic before finally making a move. "We can't just sit here!" Pepper nodded and roughly pushed her door open. The van that had collided with them had smashed the passengers door enough it was impossible to open, so Kira had to dart out Pepper side before they both took off running.
Whoever was chasing them wasn't far off behind, and the condition they were both in they both knew they would never be able to outrun them. Kira stopped in her tracks, Pepper doing the same. Kira looked up at her, her breath heavy and thick in the cold. "Keep going, just... Run, find Tony." They had lost the cell in the comotion and neither was going back now that more than one man seemed to be on their trail.
"Kira!" Pepper persisted in her over emotional tone, which for once was very justifiable.
Kira ignored her, and instead turned to face the three men now comfortably making their way towards them. Kira held her hands out to her side, breathing lightly as they started to glow, and spark making horrible static noises. She lifted a hand, shooting what looked like a bolt of lightning at one of the men, causing not only him but Kira herself to fall backwards. Pepper began to run a little more, fearing it was their only option.
Kira stood again, as quickly as she could before trying to build up the energy to go again, but the panic, cold and fear made it a bit difficult. She looked down at her hands, as a sting of panic shot though her harder than the ones before her. "I'm not strong enough..." She mumbled to herself, the feeling of defeat overwhelming. She glanced back at Pepper, feeling guilt for her own inability to protect her.
When she turned back around the two men were in front of her, they didn't seem to want to harm her, but then again they didn't say a word. Their faces were covered with a thick ski mask type cover and their clothing was all black. She wondered for a moment if she could even reason with one, but before she could speak one of the men reached into his coat and pulled out something in the shape of a gun. Kira stummbled back, unable to plan a next move, but hoping Pepper would at least get away. She felt so weak, it was infuriating to her such a simple use of her own gift could wear her out so much. She was drowzy and could hardly stand any longer.
She shut her eyes tightly. She expected the worst, and waited for the sound of the gunshot. But instead the heard the familiar sound of incoming salvation. Her eyes opened once more to see a bright red suit standing between herself and the men. A faint glow came from the hand of the suit and the men backed off. Helping up their fallen friend before fleeing without a word. Kira wanted to protest, why would he just let them go? Why didn't he even threaten them? But she couldn't make a sound, instead her own body played against her and she fell in the snow, giving in to sleep.